A FRICANCENTRIC R ITES OF P ASSAGE, C ULTURAL C OMPETENCY AND
PEI I NTERVENTION C ULTURAL C OMPETENCE M ENTAL H EALTH S OUTHERN R
EGION S UMMIT XV111 D ECEMBER 6 & 7, 2012 Dr. E M Abdulmumin,
Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist The DuBois Institute,
Riverside, CA Building Resilience in African American Families
[email protected]/([email protected]/(951) 686-9930
Slide 2 Hipple describes the general process of African
coming-of-age rituals. The first process involves a removal of
individuals from their community. Then, a period of transition
occurs, in which individuals learn the skills and tasks for their
future community roles. Last, individuals are brought back to the
community marked by a celebration. At this point, individuals are
considered to have transitioned from youths to adults and actively
participate in appropriate ways recognized by the community. Thus,
this is a point where individuals transform their lives, and may
also be marked by individuals being given a new name due to their
status, and presented to the community as a different person
(Hipple, 2008). Slide 3 Afrocentric social workers their view, the
African ethos, as transmuted into African American culture, has
been and is central to African Americans' ability to survive racist
oppression.. Slide 4 In Afrocentric practice, treatment conceived
of as healing takes place within and through positive, rewarding
connections with African and African American culture and with
other people of African descent. Slide 5 African Worldview
Afrocentrism is predicated on traditional African philosophy that
predates European and Arab influences (Schiele, 1994). Two core
elements are spirituality (Pinkett, 1993) and interconnectedness
(Myers, 1988). Slide 6 . Individuals are encouraged to prize the
African and African American values of equality, cooperation,
reconciliation, respect, and sharing. Connectedness is nurtured
through groups. Recognizing that the effects of indirect power
blocks are not easily vanquished, Afrocentric practitioners
intervene over a sufficient duration to permit internalization of a
positive sense of self, of other African Americans, and of African
and African American heritage. The aim is respect of self, family,
and community. Slide 7 The health consequences for African American
male teenagers of living in high-risk environments are devastating.
Given the existence of cultural barriers to health services use,
culturally proficient programs that can engage African American
male youths in preventive interventions and primary care are
urgently needed. Slide 8 African American youth and social problems
Academic Failure Social/Behavioral: Conduct Disorder Features
Substance Abuse, absent fathers Disparities in Health, Mental
Health and Justice Systems Cradle to Prison: Malcolm the Ghetto is
a prison; Angela Davis: the PIC is the new slave system 2 million
in US prisons, 1 million are African Am Slide 9 A culturally
competent system of care "acknowledges and incorporates at all
levels the importance of culture, the assessment of cross-cultural
relations, vigilance toward the dynamics that result from cultural
differences, the expansion of cultural knowledge, and the
adaptation of services to meet culturally-unique needs" (Cross et
al., 1989, p. 17). Slide 10 Basic cultural competence occurs when
organizations and practitioners respect difference; engage in
ongoing cultural self- assessment; expand their cultural knowledge
and skills; and adapt services to fit the community's culture,
situation, and perceived needs. With cultural proficiency, the
group's culture is esteemed and new approaches are developed on the
basis of deep cultural knowledge. (Harvey, ) Slide 11 Cultural
competence in mental health Cultural competence in diverse settings
Cultural competence in an Africancentric paradigm Cultural
competence in an Africancentric Evidence Based Rites of Passage
Program Slide 12 MAAT CENTER PROGRAM Ma'at, an ancient Egyptian
word, means an ethical way of life (Karenga, 1990). The goal of the
MAAT Program is empowerment of black male adolescents through a
nine- month rites of passage program.. Slide 13 Dr. Harveys Model:
Cultural Competence Orientation Empowerment Afrocentric Social Work
Perspective African World View Slide 14 Following the first weekly
class and subsequent weekly meetings, students present their names
ritually to the whole group, and provide the origin of their
African names and its meanings. Beyond this Naming Ritual, other
rituals are employed such as: (a) African dress of the teachers,
(b) African names of the teacher, (e) the Opening and Physical
Exercise ritual, (f) demonstrating African Leadership Rituals, and
(g) the Africentric Closing Slide 15 8 Week Curriculum WeekTopic
Week 1Orientation Week 2Introduction to Major Principles (Nguzo
Saba, RIPSO) Week 3Nguzo Saba, Virtues of Maat Week 4RIPSO Week
5Creed Week 6Ancient African Civilization Week 7Black Contributions
to American Society Week 8Nutrition and Food Slide 16 One module
each week Day one Introduction to topic Day two speaker Day three
create a product via arts, crafts, role play, field trip, etc.
Slide 17 Daily Schedule Snack Home if arrive early Research of
African American for presentation in Libation Circle Libation
Circle Recitation of Nzugo Saba, Virtue of Maat, and Class Creed
Make take a break Lecture and discussion or speaker, Product or
fieldtrip Break Closing Circle Dinner meal Slide 18 Nguzo Saba
Slide 19 10 Virtues of MAAT 1.Control of thoughts. 2.Control of
actions. 3.Devotion of purpose. 4.Have faith in the ability of your
teacher to teach you the truth. 5.Have faith in yourself to
assimilate the truth. 6.Have faith in themselves to wield the
truth. 7.Be free from resentment under the experience of
persecution. 8.Be free from resentment under the experience of
wrong. 9.Cultivate the ability to distinguish between right and
wrong. 10.Cultivate the ability to distinguish between the real and
the unreal. Slide 20 RIPSO Principles 7 Rs: Responsibility,
Reciprocity, Respect, Restraint, Reason, Reconciliation, Realness 3
Is: Interconnectedness, Interdependence, Inclusivity, 3 Ps:
Participation, Patience, Perseverance 3 Ss: Sharing, Sacrifice,
Spirituality Others: Cooperation, Discipline, Unconditional Love
Slide 21 The DuBois Institutes Class Creed We believe. We are the
young men of the Rites of Passage Program. We are college bound. We
are exceptional-not because we say it, but because we work hard at
it. We will not falter in the face of any obstacle placed before
us. We are dedicated, committed and focused. We never succumb to
mediocrity, uncertainty or fear. We never fail because we never
give up. We make no excuses. We choose to live honestly,
nonviolently and honorably. We respect ourselves and, in doing so,
respect all people. We have a future for which we are accountable.
We have a responsibility to our families, community and world. We
are our brothers' keepers. We believe in ourselves. We believe in
each other. We believe in the Rites of Passage Program. WE BELIEVE.
Slide 22 Conceptual Framework Black Feminist Theory Black Family
Theory Afrocentric Theory Afterschool format The results of this
study indicated a positive impact of the Rites of Passage program
on Black adolescent ethnic identity, attitudes towards school,
behavior in the classroom and attitudes towards substance use.
Specifically, there was positive, statistically significant data on
the outcome of the measures for the intervention group in the
domains of attitudes towards substance abuse and behavior in the
classroom. Stressors: Poverty, Academic Underachievement, Violence,
Substance Abuse Slide 23 When anyone reflects on ancient Egypt
today, the Great Pyramid of Cheops and its staggering dimensions
invariably are brought to mind: It stands 481 ft. high and contains
2 million blocks of yellowish limestone. Each block weights 2.5
tons, was quarried miles away, floated on barges, and dragged from
the shores of the Nile to its present site. Slide 24 MAAT Truth and
Justice, a moral standard between right and wrong Slide 25
Understanding Maat The role of Pharoah was to maintain Maat As a
diety, Maat was personified as a goddess No wrong to his fellow men
and helped those more unfortunate, the deceased is declared maa
kheru, true of voice Slide 26 Great Pyramid of Khufu Near-perfect
alignment to the points of the compass. A ground area of 13.1
acres. It is composed of 2.3 million limestone blocks averaging 2.5
tons each. Advanced knowledge of astronomy. The pyramids shadow
disappears completely at the spring equinox. The ancient Egyptians
understood physics 1500 years before the ancient Greeks The
distance from the earth to the sun when its height in inches was
multiplied by 10 9 ; 10 9 being the proportion of height to width
of the pyramid. Slide 27 Sciences, Math, Astrology Slide 28 Maafa
(1619 - ) The word Maafa is derived from the Swahili term for
disaster, terrible occurrence or great tragedy. The Maafa refers to
the 500 years of suffering of African and the African diaspora,
through slavery, imperialism, colonialism, invasion, oppression,
dehumanization and exploitation. The term also refers to the social
and legal policies that were used to invalidate or take credit for
the contributions of African peoples to humanity as a whole, and
the after effect of this persecution, as seen in modern times.
Slide 29 Sankofa can mean either the word in the Akan language of
Ghana that translates in English to "go back and get it" (san - to
return; ko - to go; fa - to look, to seek and take) or the Asante
Adinkra symbols of a bird with its head turned backwards taking an
egg off its back, or of a stylised heart shape. It is often
associated with the proverb, Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi,"
which translates "It is not wrong to go back for that which you
have forgotten. Or the saying Give me the Old Time Religion
AkanGhanaAsanteAdinkrasymbols Slide 30 Slide 31 Slide 32 Exercise
and Discussion on Evidenced Based Interventions and do they
increase or decrease the implementation of cultural cultural
competency, delivery of services or treatment, in an Africancentric
Rites of Passage Program. Break into groups and report back 3 of
each and rationale
